Observations from Homestead Era
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 43° 48.807 W 120° 35.985
10T E 693042 N 4853953
Sign about homesteading on the High Desert of central Oregon.
Waymark Code: WM5XD2
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 02/24/2009
Views: 2
This is one of two signs near the restrooms at the Brothers Rest Area.
Marker Name: Observations from Homestead Era
Marker Text: Homestead cabins were so numerous that at night as kerosene lamps blazed from the small windows, the lights viewed from nearby Pine Mountain looked like twinkling stars. It usually took about 5 years for a man to arrive, build a house, fence some land, plow it, put in a crop, wait in vain to harvest, lose his money, get tired of jackrabbit stew, and leave. About 1916 the land rush was slightly in reverse due to crop fizzles and a growing shortage of sagehens, deer, and antelope. The June frosts blighted the town of Imperial as well as neighboring settlements and they eventually faded into oblivion with heaps of tin cans, pickle jars, and catsup bottles left as a memorial of these citadels of high hopes. From society’s standpoint a serious consequence of homesteading was that it was hard on the land in that most of the acreage should never have been plowed.
Visit Instructions:
Include your thoughts and observations pertaining to this location and your visit. Provide any additional history that you are aware of that pertains to this location. If the marker commemorates a historic building tell us what it is used for now or share with us the circumstances of an earlier visit to bring this locations history to life.
Please upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.
Be creative.